Dr. Kate Truitt

An applied neuroscientist straddles the line between what's going on in the labs, what I call the ivory tower of the educational space, and the clinical realm. I view myself as a translator of the brain to best help people connect with what's happening in their mind-body system. I specifically focus on the brain areas tied into both trauma and empowerment.

An applied neuroscientist straddles the line between what's going on in the labs, what I call the ivory tower of the educational space, and the clinical realm. I view myself as a translator of the brain to best help people connect with what's happening in their mind-body system. I specifically focus on the brain areas tied into both trauma and empowerment.

An applied neuroscientist straddles the line between what's going on in the labs, what I call the ivory tower of the educational space, and the clinical realm. I view myself as a translator of the brain to best help people connect with what's happening in their mind-body system. I specifically focus on the brain areas tied into both trauma and empowerment.

The through line, though, and what really, really lights me up is helping people disseminate the impact of trauma and better understand the weird, painful experiences that happen in our mind-body system when we've been deeply harmed.

The through line, though, and what really, really lights me up is helping people disseminate the impact of trauma and better understand the weird, painful experiences that happen in our mind-body system when we've been deeply harmed.

The through line, though, and what really, really lights me up is helping people disseminate the impact of trauma and better understand the weird, painful experiences that happen in our mind-body system when we've been deeply harmed.

I'm also a survivor. I am a survivor of traumatic grief. I was widowed a week before my wedding. And I'm harnessing my own vulnerability and knowledge of neuroscience to shine the light on how change and healing is possible.

I'm also a survivor. I am a survivor of traumatic grief. I was widowed a week before my wedding. And I'm harnessing my own vulnerability and knowledge of neuroscience to shine the light on how change and healing is possible.

I'm also a survivor. I am a survivor of traumatic grief. I was widowed a week before my wedding. And I'm harnessing my own vulnerability and knowledge of neuroscience to shine the light on how change and healing is possible.

When I look at trauma through the lens of neurobiology, I like to distill it down to the concept of threat, safety, or lack of safety. Because we can experience something that feels threatening, such as getting on a roller coaster and plummeting at the earth at a very, very high rate of speed. but also knowing that supposedly if the engineers did their job, we're okay, so therefore we're safe.

When I look at trauma through the lens of neurobiology, I like to distill it down to the concept of threat, safety, or lack of safety. Because we can experience something that feels threatening, such as getting on a roller coaster and plummeting at the earth at a very, very high rate of speed. but also knowing that supposedly if the engineers did their job, we're okay, so therefore we're safe.

When I look at trauma through the lens of neurobiology, I like to distill it down to the concept of threat, safety, or lack of safety. Because we can experience something that feels threatening, such as getting on a roller coaster and plummeting at the earth at a very, very high rate of speed. but also knowing that supposedly if the engineers did their job, we're okay, so therefore we're safe.

If that's the case and we like roller coasters, then it's not traumatic. On the other hand, somebody who gets into the same roller coaster, maybe totally safe, hates roller coasters, but is forced to get on that roller coaster and ride the roller coaster, that could be very traumatic because there's no choice. So threat in of itself is a critical through line of what makes something traumatic.

If that's the case and we like roller coasters, then it's not traumatic. On the other hand, somebody who gets into the same roller coaster, maybe totally safe, hates roller coasters, but is forced to get on that roller coaster and ride the roller coaster, that could be very traumatic because there's no choice. So threat in of itself is a critical through line of what makes something traumatic.

If that's the case and we like roller coasters, then it's not traumatic. On the other hand, somebody who gets into the same roller coaster, maybe totally safe, hates roller coasters, but is forced to get on that roller coaster and ride the roller coaster, that could be very traumatic because there's no choice. So threat in of itself is a critical through line of what makes something traumatic.

It could be threat to life or perceived threat to belonging, lovability, threat to one's ability to make choice in their life, to have agency, or threat to the baseline safety.

It could be threat to life or perceived threat to belonging, lovability, threat to one's ability to make choice in their life, to have agency, or threat to the baseline safety.

It could be threat to life or perceived threat to belonging, lovability, threat to one's ability to make choice in their life, to have agency, or threat to the baseline safety.

Our little friend Amy the amygdala, who, that's what I do call her, Amy the amygdala. The amygdala is a part of our brain whose primary job is to keep us alive. And when we feel threatened, she's assessing in our brain these core values of, am I safe? Am I lovable or do I belong? And can I create change or what I call be successful in my life?

Our little friend Amy the amygdala, who, that's what I do call her, Amy the amygdala. The amygdala is a part of our brain whose primary job is to keep us alive. And when we feel threatened, she's assessing in our brain these core values of, am I safe? Am I lovable or do I belong? And can I create change or what I call be successful in my life?